title: Renal involvement in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis: ultrasound findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the ultrasound findings of renal involvement in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  15 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis (15 male, 0 female, mean age 66 years old, range 44-85) who had renal involvement documented on CT or MR and had abdominal ultrasound within 1 month were included. Ultrasound images were retrospectively reviewed for presence or absence of renal involvement. Shape and echogenicity of the renal lesions were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 8 out of 15 patients, at least one renal lesion was identified on ultrasound with a total of 9 kidneys. In 7 kidneys, lesions appeared as ill-defined, non-mass like areas of decreased echogenicity. Three lesions showed associated irregular lobular thickening of the renal parenchyma with bulging contour and 1 showed focal area of parenchymal loss. In 2 kidneys, the lesions were seen as solitary or multiple hypoechoic mass-like areas. Ill-defined, non-mass like lesions on ultrasound corresponded to well-circumscribed wedge-shaped lesions in all but one case on CT or MR. Mass-like lesions on ultrasound corresponded to well-circumscribed round lesions on CT or MR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most common ultrasound findings of renal involvement in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis were ill-defined area of decreased echogenicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. kewalees@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kewalee
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasiwimonphan
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gorman
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.forename: Suresh T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chari
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009393:Nephritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*